Wrench



UNITED STATES ROBERT ASI-IWORTH AND ALBERT w. ASHWORTH, or

NEW HAVEN,

CONNECTICUT.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 627,466, dated June 27, 1899.- Application 1165 November 26,1898. Serial No. 697,541. (No model.)

To all whom it mung concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT ASHWORTH and ALBERT W; ASHWORTH, citizens of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecti-' out, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to improvements in wrenches having a pivoted jaw opposite a bearing-surface, and is mainly intendedfor wrenches intended to grasp a pipe orcylindrical body, although it is also adapted to be used as a nut-wrench; andthe objects of our invention are to provide a simple and inex pensive wrench'of that class that will be adapted to grasp a pipe lying against awall,

as well as in other more open locations, said wrench being provided with two jaws independently pivoted, but mounted upon the same handle. We attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a pipe-wrench constructed in accordance with our invention, the body of the adjustable outer jaw being mounted on the end of the lateral branch of the handle. Fig.2 is a side view of the opposite side of the handle with the inner jaw mounted upon the outer end of the lateral branch of the handle. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the wrench on line 00 a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the wrench, shown with the small jaw pivoted on the end of the handle and in its axis and the body of the large adjustable jaw pivoted also in the axis of the handle, but transversely of the handle, to obtain a wrench most suitable to grasp and rotate a pipe resting against a wall. Figs. 5 and 6 are longitudinal sections, on a larger scale, of pivot-pins suitable for use with the wrench and capable of being retained in their bearing by a flat spring-catch mounted upon the pins. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line y y of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side view of thepin shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, A represents the handle of the implement, the inner end B of which is extended laterally to obtain a pivotal support for one of the jaws. The inner endB and also the portion of the handle A adjacent to the end B are slottedlengthwise to obtain two flat branches b, between which the body of said jaw can be oscillated upon pivotpins 0 or f, passing therethrough and also through the branches. The smallend ofeach pivot-pin may be screw-threaded to be retained in engagement-with a screw-tapped hole in one of the branches b; but we prefer to have the pivot-pins retained locked in the handle by means of a spring-catch consisting of a flat spring h, located within a groove formed in the body of the pin lengthwise thereof and secured at one end to said body by a Small screw h The outer end of said spring is slightly sprung away from said body and has a hooked head h to engage with the outer surface of the handle or its branches 1), and said head has a lateral projection to cover the end of the groove in the pin and prevent the entrance of obstructions behind the spring-catch.

The'arrangement of the jaws D andE relatively to each other is generally as shown in. Fig. 1, in which the body at of the outer jaw D is mounted on the end of the lateral branch of the handle upon the pivot-pin f, and the inner jaw E is mounted in the axis of the handle upon the pivot-pin o. The small ends of the pins 0 and f project a short distance beyond the outer face of one of the branchesb to provide a support for the hooked end of the springcatch 71 To protect the small ends of the pivot-pins, and particularly the end h, from injury if the wrench isthrown carelessly down,there is a collar b projecting from the face of one of the branches 1) around each of the holes intended to receive'a pivot-pin; but a portion of the periphery of each collar is removed to permit the pin and its springcatch to oscillate with the jaw while it is in use.

The jaw E has only one pivot-hole, and it is cylindrical; but the body of the outer jaw D has a series of pivot-holes d to render said jaw adjustable on the handle, and each hole at has a key-seat to retain'a feather f projecting from the side of the pivot-pin f. The

head is of the pin f is peculiarly constructed to provide a location for a coiled spring intended to partially rotate and push normally and automatically the serrated edge of the outer jaw toward the serrated edge of the inner jaw E and cause the serrated edges of the two jaws to automatically remain. in, contact with a grasped object during the forward or the backward motions given to the handle of the wrench. I

The head It of the pinfis cylindrical and hollow and contains a coiled wire spring 172, one end of which is retained in engagement with the wall of the head, and the other end passes through a peripheral slot 7:3 in said head and has its end m bent parallel with the axis of the pin and adapted to be received in a small perforation b Fig. 2, made in the face of one of the branches 1) of the handle alongside of the pin-perforations, the torsion of the spring on having a tendency to partially rotate the jaw D in the direction of the arrow 2 toward the jaw E, because the featherf of the pin is in engagement with the key-seat in either one of the pivot-holes (F. The head It has in its side a slot 76 lengthwise thereof, to permit the introduction of the spring 112 and its lateral end m within said head. The latter is closed with a cap-plate k retained with a screw k passing through the coil and in engagement with the body of the pin f.

In Fig. 2 the inner jaw is mounted upon the outer end of the lateral branch of the handle, and the body of the adjustable outer jaw is mounted upon the outermost perforation in the axis of the handle to cause said handle to be inclined laterally to facilitate the grasping of a pipe located against a wall or in other contracted locations.

In Fig. 4 the inner jaw has its pivot-pin in the outermost perforation in the axis of the handle, and the body of the adjustable outer jaw has its pivot-pin in the axis of the handle also, but nearest to the bottom of the slot in the handle, to further facilitate the grasping and rotation of a pipe located close to a wall or to another obstruction.

. What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A wrench consisting of a handle having its inner end extended laterally and forked, each branch of said fork having three perforations, the perforations in one of the branches having a key-seat, two pivot-pins having spring-catches mounted thereon and a jaw pivotally mounted upon each pin, substantially as described.

2. In a wrench the combination of a handle having its inner end extended laterally and forked, each branch of said fork having three perforations, the perforations in one of the branches having a key-seat, two pivot-pins having spring-catches mounted thereon, one of said pins, havinga feather on one side, and two oppositely-disposed jaws pivotally mounted upon said pins, substantially as described.

3. In a wrench the combination of a handle having its inner end extended laterally and forked, each branch of said fork having perforations, the perforations in one of the branches having a key-seat and said branch provided with a small perforation alongside of the key-seated perforation, two pivot-pins, one of said pins having a spring-catch and a feather on its side, the head of said pin being hollow and its side slotted, with a coiled spring within said head and two oppositelydisposed jaws pivotally mounted upon said pins, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT ASHWORTII. ALBERT IV. ASI-IVVORTII. Vitnesses:

ABRAHAM O. BERNSTEIN, LoUIs E. JACOBS. 

